







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| Sorry, is it possible to see it this Saturday after 2 o'clock? | |
| So does that mean you don't want to stay with me? | |
| If you are going to ask for money, I don't have any, either. | |
| But on the ad it says the house is fully furnished! | |
| I think the price is very cheap. | |
| No, it doesn't look clean, do you want me to clean it? | |
| Can your mum handle the situation by herself? | |
| So I want to cook as much as I can now. | |
| Because the other people complain about me smoking there. | |
| Oh god, it's the second thing I hate doing in the kitchen! | |
| I hope she is not a problematic one, then... | |
| We are back, where is Bear? | |
| Does that help you to believe me? | |
| Oh look at this big boy, he gets bigger everytime I see him! | |
| Good point, I'm sure they don't pay that much! | |
| But one of them is £2.44 and the other one is £1.22. | |
| Hello, what kind of dog do you have, Mike? | |
| Yes, Bear eats one and a half cats everyday for breakfast. | |
| Is it a single or a double room? | |
| Is one bunch enough for you? | |